There are many applications in the electronic industry, such as in copying machines, computers and the like, wherein a plurality of conductors must be terminated to various electronic components to carry out various functions of a machine or apparatus. For instance, in a copying machine, control electronics are fed through data conductors or lines and power conductors or lines to various devices, such as motors, audible or visual indicators, or the like which perform the various functions of the machine, such as changing the reduction of the copying process, varying the numbers of copies, rendering audible or visual signals, and the like. Electronic components or devices, such as printed circuit boards, integrated circuit chips, headers or connectors must be coupled through electrical connectors to the power and data transmission conductors or lines.
An example of an electrical connector for use with electronic systems of the character described above is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,846, dated Jun. 30, 1992 and assigned to the assignee of this invention. When the input-output electrical connector shown in that patent is used to couple a printed circuit board to a plurality of discrete insulated wire conductors, terminals are mounted in the connector and each terminal has an insulation displacement section at one end for termination to one of the discrete insulated wire conductors and a contact section at a second end for surface-mount engaging the printed circuit board. The insulation displacement section or end of the terminal is located generally at the bottom surface of the connector, and the surface-mount engaging section or end projects upwardly through a top surface of the connector.
In the electrical connector system shown in the patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,846, the terminals are top-loaded into the connector. In other words, the insulation displacement sections or ends of the terminals are inserted into respective receiving cavities from the top of the connector. The terminals are retained within the connector housing by locking lances projecting from the terminals. The locking lances are utilized to oppose the forces developed during termination of an insulated wire conductor into the insulation displacement section of the terminal. Although the electrical connector shown in that patent has proven quite effective for its intended purposes, there has arisen various applications wherein the insulation displacement termination forces are too great for the prior locking lances of the terminals to withstand. This invention is directed to solving such problems and providing a new design of an insulation displacement termination system for input-output electrical connectors of the character described.